Stewie stat line for the night...

[EricLA]

25 points on 10-20 shooting, played 41 minutes, was 3-5 from beyond the arc.

Plus 7 boards, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks.

Think this kid was ready to hit the pros at full speed? If she keeps this up, she will be on the short list for MVP. I don't think Seattle is going anywhere this season, though - probably won't make the playoffs, and usually the MVP is on a playoff team. Still, she's putting up some impressive numbers. Congrats to her!

 

[JavaMan]

​

 

[UcMiami]

Certainly an impressive start to her career - through four games: 19 ppg, 10 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg, 2 bpg, and shooting .418/.400/.700.

I would like to see her become a little more aggressive offensively - at the moment she is a little to deferential to teammates, not a bad trait, but she is often the best option for Seattle. I keep thinking of Geno stopping a practice and saying 'For the last five minutes, Stewart hasn't touched the ball once on offense - that will NOT happen again!'

 

[Roundball fan]

Rookie Stewie just getting her feet wet. She is learning on the go, when she realizes that she is the 1, the jump to dominator will begin. Two years from now I expect her to be one of the best players in the league if not the best. The skills are in place all she has to do is believe.

 

[2Husky]

which two states was she dividing?

 

[iri10]

In her early games, I've seen that she can go on stretches of very impressive dominance, and can also fall quiet or be contained at other times. The change usually happens in the second half of the game; it's as if these teams get surprised by just how capable she is, but then they adjust.

I think it's primarily a case of her being inexperienced at this level. As she gains experience, she'll learn how to respond to getting double-teamed in the pros, etc. As time goes by, I expect her to start getting some nice opportunistic assists off of doubles, among any other things. It may also just be physically draining to do 35+ minutes at WNBA pace.

Seattle is probably still not going to be great this season, but I think Stewie will eventually be a terror.

I do wish that her team's bench could be more productive, though. The starters, including the very young Stewie and the not-really-young Sue Bird, are being run for long, long minutes.

 

[EricLA]

In her early games, I've seen that she can go on stretches of very impressive dominance, and can also fall quiet or be contained at other times. The latter is really just a case of her being inexperienced at this level. As she gains experience, she'll learn how to respond to getting double-teamed in the pros, etc. As time goes by, I expect her to start getting some nice opportunistic assists off of doubles, among any other things.

Seattle is probably still not going to be great this season, but I think Stewie will eventually be a terror.

I do wish that her team's bench could be more productive, though. The starters, including the very young Stewie and the not-really-young Sue Bird, are being run for long, long minutes.

The good news is that they will be in great shape for a top pick in next year's draft. I would think the #1 priority would be a top notch PG...

 

[baggerbob]

Certainly an impressive start to her career - through four games: 19 ppg, 10 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg, 2 bpg, and shooting .418/.400/.700.

I would like to see her become a little more aggressive offensively - at the moment she is a little to deferential to teammates, not a bad trait, but she is often the best option for Seattle. I keep thinking of Geno stopping a practice and saying 'For the last five minutes, Stewart hasn't touched the ball once on offense - that will NOT happen again!'

Seattle needs players, Stewie has 2 times the rebounds of anyone else on the team, the only category she doesn't lead in is assists, and she's 2nd to Sue. The post players on her team have no ability to make any shots outside of 10 feet, so the lane is crowded, which means most of the time Stewie can't drive. When Sue goes out of the game, Loyd is not a play-maker for anyone else.

 

[EricLA]

which two states was she dividing?

I had the mods fix the title, but I plead "tired" LOL...

 

[UcMiami]

Seattle needs players, Stewie has 2 times the rebounds of anyone else on the team, the only category she doesn't lead in is assists, and she's 2nd to Sue. The post players on her team have no ability to make any shots outside of 10 feet, so the lane is crowded, which means most of the time Stewie can't drive. When Sue goes out of the game, Loyd is not a play-maker for anyone else.

What post players?!
Seattle is really hurting for viable posts - Stewart is playing the five because they don't have any other option.

The good news is that they will be in great shape for a top pick in next year's draft. I would think the #1 priority would be a top notch PG...

If there is a good post player I bet they go that route - I think you can find an adequate PG more easily than you can find a post. MN picked up Renee cheaply (from Seattle?) and she is finally looking good as Lindsey's back-up.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

This is both exciting and sad. Miss her in blue and white already.

Rookie Breanna Stewart Faced Tall Task In First Three Games

 

[JordyG]

Certainly an impressive start to her career - through four games: 19 ppg, 10 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg, 2 bpg, and shooting .418/.400/.700.

I would like to see her become a little more aggressive offensively - at the moment she is a little to deferential to teammates, not a bad trait, but she is often the best option for Seattle. I keep thinking of Geno stopping a practice and saying 'For the last five minutes, Stewart hasn't touched the ball once on offense - that will NOT happen again!'

Honestly I don't think it's deference. I think it's partially her nature and partially the fact that she's really never been the center of the offense. At The UConn she rarely took more than 15 shots, usually averaging 12-15 per. The fact is the pro game, for both men and women, is isolation oriented. Since Seattle seems to want to build the team around her she'll get used to it.

 

[UcMiami]

Honestly I don't think it's deference. I think it's partially her nature and partially the fact that she's really never been the center of the offense. At The UConn she rarely took more than 15 shots, usually averaging 12-15 per. The fact is the pro game, for both men and women, is isolation oriented. Since Seattle seems to want to build the team around her she'll get used to it.

Yes and no - I agree she seldom asserted herself at Uconn, except in a few games where the team really needed her to do so. And the same was true in the age specific USA basketball outings. But there were games where she decided it was time to win and she turned it up a notch in that regard. I am hoping by mid-season, she realizes that this Seattle team needs that kind of spark from her (and her team and coach recognizes it as well.) She will always be a willing passer, I just think she is a little too willing at the start of this her first WNBA season. With the way they are calling fouls in the WNBA she should be driving (and falling down) more often.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I've seen parts of 2 games from Stewie and will watch tonight. It's clear that she will be a star in this league. No disrespect to Sue or Jewell, but I think Stewie is already the best player on the team. I'd be shocked if she's not a future MVP, perhaps late in Maya's career.

 

[hugefan]

Stewie has been awesome. Great player and such a team player.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I wonder to what extent Stewie could (or should?) put on a little bulk. Only two or three months ago she looked like a high school kid playing against middle school kids. Now it's the other way around, sort of: She looks like a high school kid playing against college kids.

 

[shinobimono]

I wonder to what extent Stewie could (or should?) put on a little bulk. Only two or three months ago she looked like a high school kid playing against middle school kids. Now it's the other way around, sort of: She looks like a high school kid playing against college kids.

Probably it's just her body type. I played some sports in high school, but I was pretty slim and could not gain any weight no matter how hard I tried, even took protein drinks to bulk up and lifted weights daily till my senior year. I only started gaining weight after I married at age 33. For some people, gaining weight is not easy, especially when they are young. Oh, I'd love to have that kind of metabolism again.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Probably it's just her body type. I played some sports in high school, but I was pretty slim and could not gain any weight no matter how hard I tried, even took protein drinks to bulk up and lifted weights daily till my senior year. I only started gaining weight after I married at age 33. For some people, gaining weight is not easy, especially when they are young. Oh, I'd love to have that kind of metabolism again.

That's my fear, that Stewie won't be able to put on much weight. On the other hand, her Dad is pretty solidly built, so maybe there's hope.

 

[Icebear]

I don't think her frame will be a problem for her at all. Do not underestimate how strong she is and how much her wirey frame can endure.

 

[JordyG]

One of the problems Stewie has faced is how in demand she is for post season play: The Olympics, World Championships etc. These are the times players use to get in the gym and do things in the weight room. This has been noted before. I don't expect her to bulk up like some women, but over time there is no doubt she will put on more muscle mass. This despite her frame. As she ages she will also bulk up naturally as well.

 

[Gus Mahler]

One of the problems Stewie has faced is how in demand she is for post season play: The Olympics, World Championships etc. These are the times players use to get in the gym and do things in the weight room. This has been noted before. I don't expect her to bulk up like some women, but over time there is no doubt she will put on more muscle mass. This despite her frame. As she ages she will also bulk up naturally as well.

Right, I expect a natural maturation muscle-wise. Probably I should have used your term "muscle mass" instead of bulking up. I certainly don't expect her to ever look like, say, Kiah Stokes.

 

[malevocalist#]

The good news is that they will be in great shape for a top pick in next year's draft. I would think the #1 priority would be a top notch PG...

Or they could trade for one.

 

[UcMiami]

The strength coach at Uconn is on record as saying Stewart was one of the strongest players on the Uconn squad this last year - with her very long limbs, she will continue to look slender whether she adds muscle or not - as it is, she has looked very good battle for position defensively against Fowles and other more massive post players. I doubt people will notice much difference in her appearance through her pro career - Lisa Leslie who has a similar build never 'bulked up'.

 

[baggerbob]

The strength coach at Uconn is on record as saying Stewart was one of the strongest players on the Uconn squad this last year - with her very long limbs, she will continue to look slender whether she adds muscle or not - as it is, she has looked very good battle for position defensively against Fowles and other more massive post players. I doubt people will notice much difference in her appearance through her pro career - Lisa Leslie who has a similar build never 'bulked up'.

Stewie has made a few one handed rebounds in the WNBA, something I haven't seen many others do. That takes strength to be able to be up in the air, grab the ball one handed , and come down with it.